"Our spring break in March is for two weeks. This is our second year in the expansion of the winter vacation days, going from two weeks to three weeks."

It's a similar story in Pomona Unified.

"We've added a few more days (to vacations this year) due to furlough days," Superintendent Richard Martinez said.

The Thanksgiving and winter breaks were expanded this school year.

In both districts, finances played a large part in the decision to expand existing breaks: Employee salaries make up the lion's share of districts' non-restricted funds, meaning that major budget cuts have to, at least in part, cut into salaries and benefits.

Pomona Unified had to cut $11 million from the budget for the 2012-13 school year.

"Five furlough days is what the teachers (union) agreed to take," Martinez said.

The Etiwanda School District has also expanded existing breaks, even if they haven't gone to a three-week winter vacation quite yet.

"Just two weeks, with two additional days added (Thursday and Friday) that are furlough days," Superintendent Shawn Judson said. "We do not anticipate the winter break growing longer over the next several years."

Adding furlough days onto existing holidays makes sense for districts, both from a convenience standpoint and a practical one.

"Attendance was down at the holidays" anyway, Martinez said. "Even though people are not happy about making less money, they believe we put (the days) in the right place."

It's a similar story in Rialto:

"District officials expanded the one extra week" for winter vacation "due to observing a decline in student attendance and felt it would be fiscally responsible and sound to do so," Jafri said.

The five days cut from this year's calendar drop Pomona Unified from 180 instructional days each year to 175.

"While parents and anyone in education is obviously concerned about the shrinking of the school year due to the budget cuts imposed by the state, I have not heard of parents expressing concern about the extra two days of winter break," Judson said.

"Over the break, we encourage students to read, relax, enjoy time with family and friends and get some exercise. We do have some on-line programs available to students, as well as our Accelerated Reader program."

Things could have been worse, however: If Prop. 30 hadn't passed in November, Pomona Unified would have faced $11.2 million more in cuts, and the prospect of another seven instructional days being cut from the calendar.